Brake Rotors-Are They All The Same?

I'm ready to redo my brakes on my 95 Buick Century. The front pads have
about 25% meat left on them, but I don;t want them to go much more.
Plus, I'm getting a pulsation from the pedal upon braking. The funny
thing is these front rotors were new and never turned down. They were
fine for about 20k miles then they started to develop this pulsation
(warped, obviously). These were cheapie AutoZone rotors purchased for
about 16.00 each. When I was at the counter, the guy asked me if I
wanted economy, mid grade or premium rotors (sounds like they got their
grading system from the gas station!) Anyway, I opted for the economy
rotors. If I had bought the premiums, do you think I would've had this
warping problem? I mean, how much different can the rotors be? They
can't be any thicker, so I really don't know what you get with the
premioums, other than a longer in store warrenty. Any thoughts would be
appreciated. Thanks!
Jay

The problem normally is with the torque on the wheel lug nuts. They are
supposed to be hand torqued down these days and some garages or
$tealerships still use impact guns for it. The guns even with 'torque
sticks' on them are not accurate enough to prevent rotor warpage.

Then sometimes you get what you pay for, ones that warp easy or hard,
but the most I have seen bitched about are the good ones with ****ty
wheel techs.....

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

wrote:
>
> I'm ready to redo my brakes on my 95 Buick Century. The front pads have
> about 25% meat left on them, but I don;t want them to go much more.
> Plus, I'm getting a pulsation from the pedal upon braking. The funny
> thing is these front rotors were new and never turned down. They were
> fine for about 20k miles then they started to develop this pulsation
> (warped, obviously). These were cheapie AutoZone rotors purchased for
> about 16.00 each. When I was at the counter, the guy asked me if I
> wanted economy, mid grade or premium rotors (sounds like they got their
> grading system from the gas station!) Anyway, I opted for the economy
> rotors. If I had bought the premiums, do you think I would've had this
> warping problem? I mean, how much different can the rotors be? They
> can't be any thicker, so I really don't know what you get with the
> premioums, other than a longer in store warrenty. Any thoughts would be
> appreciated. Thanks!
> Jay

"Mike Romain" > wrote in message
...
> The problem normally is with the torque on the wheel lug nuts. They are
> supposed to be hand torqued down these days and some garages or
> $tealerships still use impact guns for it. The guns even with 'torque
> sticks' on them are not accurate enough to prevent rotor warpage.


Listen to Mike, dude.
There are a couple of reasons for pulsation, but if you have calipers
working
as they should, good brake pads, true rotors, and free moving slide pins,
part of the
battle is won.

You must be very careful about torqueing the wheel lugs. If you see a SOB
coming at your wheels with an impact wrench, stop him. I dont care if he
has
torque stix out the butt, dont let him use the impact wrench.

There are articles which discuss rotor warping, taper, etc. Either of the
two is
bad. You can measure the rotor for warpage and taper, and see what the
basic
problem is.

At the end of the road, you have to bring everything back to 'true', but it
is good
if you understand what the root causes are.

> wrote in
t:

>
> "Mike Romain" > wrote in message
> ...
>> The problem normally is with the torque on the wheel lug nuts. They
>> are supposed to be hand torqued down these days and some garages or
>> $tealerships still use impact guns for it. The guns even with
>> 'torque sticks' on them are not accurate enough to prevent rotor
>> warpage.
>
>
> Listen to Mike, dude.
> There are a couple of reasons for pulsation, but if you have calipers
> working
> as they should, good brake pads, true rotors, and free moving slide
> pins, part of the
> battle is won.
>
> You must be very careful about torqueing the wheel lugs. If you see a
> SOB coming at your wheels with an impact wrench, stop him. I dont
> care if he has
> torque stix out the butt, dont let him use the impact wrench.
>
> There are articles which discuss rotor warping, taper, etc.




Here's the best one I've found yet.
http://www.babcox.com/editorial/bf/bf100326.htm



--
Tegger

> wrote

> When I was at the counter, the guy asked me if I wanted economy,
> mid grade or premium rotors (sounds like they got their grading system
> from the gas station!) Anyway, I opted for the economy rotors. If I had
> bought the premiums, do you think I would've had this warping problem?

Premium: Modern factory, pure high-grade iron poured into precision-aligned
molds in a temperature-controlled environment, allowed to cool slowly in oven,
cooling slots cleaned of all casting slag, fully machined and balanced on CNC machine.

Mid-grade: Ex-sewing machine factory retrofitted with a small furnace, "used" iron
with a few minor impurities poured into almost worn-out but still serviceable molds,
air-cooled on wood pallets, most casting slag removed using hammer and chisel,
surfaced on a lathe in the local high school's auto shop after last class.

Economy: Third-world yokel in a grass hut, old wheels, cranks and tin cans thrown
into a big pot, heated over an open fire until they sorta melted, got granny to help pour
into home-made carved wooden molds, cooled by dropping them in the creek beside
the hut, "machined" by spinning on a stick while the kids held rocks against the sides.

> I mean, how much different can the rotors be?

Not much difference, really. Honest.

MasterBlaster wrote:
>
> > wrote
>
> > When I was at the counter, the guy asked me if I wanted economy,
> > mid grade or premium rotors (sounds like they got their grading system
> > from the gas station!) Anyway, I opted for the economy rotors. If I had
> > bought the premiums, do you think I would've had this warping problem?
>
> Premium: Modern factory, pure high-grade iron poured into precision-aligned
> molds in a temperature-controlled environment, allowed to cool slowly in oven,
> cooling slots cleaned of all casting slag, fully machined and balanced on CNC machine.
>
> Mid-grade: Ex-sewing machine factory retrofitted with a small furnace, "used" iron
> with a few minor impurities poured into almost worn-out but still serviceable molds,
> air-cooled on wood pallets, most casting slag removed using hammer and chisel,
> surfaced on a lathe in the local high school's auto shop after last class.
>
> Economy: Third-world yokel in a grass hut, old wheels, cranks and tin cans thrown
> into a big pot, heated over an open fire until they sorta melted, got granny to help pour
> into home-made carved wooden molds, cooled by dropping them in the creek beside
> the hut, "machined" by spinning on a stick while the kids held rocks against the sides.
>
> > I mean, how much different can the rotors be?
>
> Not much difference, really. Honest.

And the funniest part of all that is that the 'economy' ones are known
to hold true where the 'premium' ones warp if they even see an air gun
in the shop....

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

Tegger wrote:

> Here's the best one I've found yet.
> http://www.babcox.com/editorial/bf/bf100326.htm

It is a good article, and it blows holes in so many of
the myths that float around these newsgroups.

Regulars, read this article and learn!

Ian

"shiden_kai" > wrote in message
news:rmCph.612219$1T2.387356@pd7urf2no...
> Tegger wrote:
>
>> Here's the best one I've found yet.
>> http://www.babcox.com/editorial/bf/bf100326.htm
>
> It is a good article, and it blows holes in so many of
> the myths that float around these newsgroups.
>
> Regulars, read this article and learn!
>
> Ian
>

I couldn't agree more!
Bob

"shiden_kai" > wrote in message
news:rmCph.612219$1T2.387356@pd7urf2no...
> Tegger wrote:
>
> > Here's the best one I've found yet.
> > http://www.babcox.com/editorial/bf/bf100326.htm
>
> It is a good article, and it blows holes in so many of
> the myths that float around these newsgroups.
>
> Regulars, read this article and learn!
>
> Ian


I agree, Ian. I have read this article several times and, maybe I am a slow
learner but, I get a
little different perspective every time I read it.

Some of the principles are sometimes misquoted or misinterpreted by people
on these groups
but the principles are important and will show you how to do a good job in
preventing
brake pulsation and buffeting.

I posted a complaint about a low brake pedal a while back, after checking
and fixing all the hydraulic stuff, caliper sliders etc. The pedal was still
quite low along with pulsations. I took the wheels off and let the engine
spin the disks (bolted on) to see what was going on. I could actually see
the runout on both of them, about 1/8 of an inch. I removed the rotors and
then watched the hubs spin, nothing noticable, but I would probably need a
dial indicator. I then examined the hubs closely and noticed both had a bump
of rust below the surface on one of the outside edges. I carefully sanded
this out and replaced the rotors and pads. After a run in period the pedal
is good and the car brakes well, hopefully it will stay that way.

"Mike Romain" > wrote in message
...
> MasterBlaster wrote:
>>
>> > wrote
>>
>> > When I was at the counter, the guy asked me if I wanted economy,
>> > mid grade or premium rotors (sounds like they got their grading system
>> > from the gas station!) Anyway, I opted for the economy rotors. If I had
>> > bought the premiums, do you think I would've had this warping problem?
>>
>> Premium: Modern factory, pure high-grade iron poured into
>> precision-aligned
>> molds in a temperature-controlled environment, allowed to cool slowly
>> in oven,
>> cooling slots cleaned of all casting slag, fully machined and balanced
>> on CNC machine.
>>
>> Mid-grade: Ex-sewing machine factory retrofitted with a small furnace,
>> "used" iron
>> with a few minor impurities poured into almost worn-out but still
>> serviceable molds,
>> air-cooled on wood pallets, most casting slag removed using hammer and
>> chisel,
>> surfaced on a lathe in the local high school's auto shop after last
>> class.
>>
>> Economy: Third-world yokel in a grass hut, old wheels, cranks and tin
>> cans thrown
>> into a big pot, heated over an open fire until they sorta melted, got
>> granny to help pour
>> into home-made carved wooden molds, cooled by dropping them in the
>> creek beside
>> the hut, "machined" by spinning on a stick while the kids held rocks
>> against the sides.
>>
>> > I mean, how much different can the rotors be?
>>
>> Not much difference, really. Honest.
>
> And the funniest part of all that is that the 'economy' ones are known
> to hold true where the 'premium' ones warp if they even see an air gun
> in the shop....
>
> Mike
> 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
> Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
> Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
> (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)